On Saturday November 10, St John the Baptist Church is staging a day of Remembrance – a World War I Memorial Day for all those brave men and women who lost their lives in the First World War and in particular the ninety eight men of the parish who are commemorated in the church’s awesome War Memorial window. There will be recitals, readings, prayers and an exhibition taking place that day in this beautiful
medieval church, whose parish includes Spon End and the Albany Road end of Earlsdon.
The Rector, Father Dexter Bracey, will be conducting a special service which will include a roll call of the men listed in the window, but Mike Polanyk, the Visitor Liaison and
Communications Officer, reveals that this list is incomplete. “Our research has found that two men were not included in the window – one lad was simply missed out and the other sadly died of his wounds after the window was completed in 1922.
Also we want to include those men who were included on the War Memorial of
St Thomas, the church which existed on the Butts, which was declared redundant in 1974 and demolished. I appreciate that although much of the parish was joined with St Johns, other areas went to Holy Trinity, St Mary Magdalen and St Barbara – but I feel it would be a fitting to include them all at our roll call.
In fact we want to include those local lads whose descendants would like us to include this on a supplemental roll whatever their parish or religious beliefs. So we want to appeal for additions to our roll. We are still building the profiles of our 98 names in our window and again would ask for any help or information they can give me.”
Rector, Fr Dexter Bracey said: “As we mark the centenary of the Armistice this year, it is important to remember all those who paid the ultimate price of the First World War, and to honour them. There will be many large national commemorations this year, but we must also honour our own local war dead as we pray for peace in the world. ”
Mike can be contacted on [email protected] or 07757 942420.